Falcons Predicted to Part With Ex-Pro Bowler: 'Going to Get Traded'

A little less than a month ago, it was a bold projection to suggest the Atlanta Falcons may trade tight end Kyle Pitts this offseason. That no longer is the case, as more and more analysts are predicting, with near certainty, that the Falcons will part with Pitts.

NFL podcast hosts Josh Norris and Hayden Winks proposed on Feb. 4 that the Falcons send the tight end to the New England Patriots for a fifth-round pick.

"A few ways to look at this," said Norris. "One, the Falcons only have four picks this year. They actually forfeited their fifth-rounder due to the Kirk Cousins tampering, sot his would replace that pick.

"Trading Kyle Pitts would allow them to save $10.8 million. Currently, they are $14.5 million over the cap."

The selection the Falcons landed in the proposed deal was No. 145.

Norris added that Pitts would "basically be a better fit" with any other team besides the Falcons.

If that wasn't enough of a diss for the Falcons-Pitts relationship, the podcast pairing concluded the conversation being all but certain Pitts will be on the move.

"He's going to get traded this offseason," Winks said. "I'm almost positive of that."

Pitts was a rookie star, eclipsing the 1,000-yard mark in 2021. But since then, he's averaged almost 2.5 fewer yards per reception than he did during his first NFL campaign.

Norris and Winks blamed the knee injury he suffered during the 2022 season. They claimed due to that ailment, Pitts may never be the same player.

Falcons fans probably would, at the very least, slightly disagree with that assessment. Even before the knee injury, Pitts wasn't involved in the Atlanta offense in 2022 like he was as a rookie.

In 2025, Pitts will enter the final year of his rookie contract. But trading him relieves the Falcons of his entire upcoming season's salary. Moving him for a 2025 draft pick would give Atlanta an additional selection this spring.

While there's a growing assumption that the Falcons will move on from Pitts this offseason, quarterback Michael Penix Jr. appears to clearly want the tight end to return.

Penix spoke highly of Pitts during an interview with Pro Football Talk on Feb. 5.

"For him, it's believing in himself," Penix said. "For me, I'm going to believe in him -- he knows that. I just talked to him the other day and we just talked about some of the things we want to do and it's like, 'Alright, I'm going to give you my all each and every day, and I want you to do the same.'"